Narrative:

During my long solo cross country from shd to cjr, I thought to follow the north side of interstate 29, which should have taken me direct to culpeper. However, my ground speed was above estimated and I did not realize that I had already passed the airport. I assume that I continued to follow interstate 29 and followed another interstate north. I realized I was in the wrong place by this time. I tuned into casanova VOR, following to the station at 180 degrees for about 10-15 mi. Then, direct south to culpeper airport, where I was transmitting the airport frequency, calling my legs. My other communication was receiving on leesburg approach, the approach control that I activated my flight plan on from shd to cjr. After I landed customs officers in a huge helicopter escorted me inside. I closed my flight plan there. I was squawking 1200 during my flight. I was tuned into the VOR casanova as well if approach control wished to contact me. I apologize for my actions. I assure you that entering the ADIZ or class B airspace was the last thing I wanted to do. This is why I did not file an ADIZ flight plan. On my way back to my home base at mrb, I used linden VOR and made absolutely sure that I steered clear of the mode C veil, because I know the importance of following the rules implemented, especially after sep/tue. Next time, I will use better planning methods as I am more familiar with C172's. I will also probably never come near class B airspace unless absolutely necessary. Communication is extremely important and this experience reinforced my already cautious view of national security. Sorry for the inconvenience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 STUDENT PLT ENTERED DC ADIZ WITHOUT CLRNC OR A DISCRETE XPONDER CODE. THE STUDENT PLT WAS INTERCEPTED BY A CUSTOMS HELI.

Narrative: DURING MY LONG SOLO XCOUNTRY FROM SHD TO CJR, I THOUGHT TO FOLLOW THE N SIDE OF INTERSTATE 29, WHICH SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ME DIRECT TO CULPEPER. HOWEVER, MY GND SPD WAS ABOVE ESTIMATED AND I DID NOT REALIZE THAT I HAD ALREADY PASSED THE ARPT. I ASSUME THAT I CONTINUED TO FOLLOW INTERSTATE 29 AND FOLLOWED ANOTHER INTERSTATE N. I REALIZED I WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE BY THIS TIME. I TUNED INTO CASANOVA VOR, FOLLOWING TO THE STATION AT 180 DEGS FOR ABOUT 10-15 MI. THEN, DIRECT S TO CULPEPER ARPT, WHERE I WAS XMITTING THE ARPT FREQ, CALLING MY LEGS. MY OTHER COM WAS RECEIVING ON LEESBURG APCH, THE APCH CTL THAT I ACTIVATED MY FLT PLAN ON FROM SHD TO CJR. AFTER I LANDED CUSTOMS OFFICERS IN A HUGE HELI ESCORTED ME INSIDE. I CLOSED MY FLT PLAN THERE. I WAS SQUAWKING 1200 DURING MY FLT. I WAS TUNED INTO THE VOR CASANOVA AS WELL IF APCH CTL WISHED TO CONTACT ME. I APOLOGIZE FOR MY ACTIONS. I ASSURE YOU THAT ENTERING THE ADIZ OR CLASS B AIRSPACE WAS THE LAST THING I WANTED TO DO. THIS IS WHY I DID NOT FILE AN ADIZ FLT PLAN. ON MY WAY BACK TO MY HOME BASE AT MRB, I USED LINDEN VOR AND MADE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT I STEERED CLR OF THE MODE C VEIL, BECAUSE I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE RULES IMPLEMENTED, ESPECIALLY AFTER SEP/TUE. NEXT TIME, I WILL USE BETTER PLANNING METHODS AS I AM MORE FAMILIAR WITH C172'S. I WILL ALSO PROBABLY NEVER COME NEAR CLASS B AIRSPACE UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. COM IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND THIS EXPERIENCE REINFORCED MY ALREADY CAUTIOUS VIEW OF NATIONAL SECURITY. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.